Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 10 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of iOS 10 that will be released to the public, and it comes after a beta testing period that saw Apple release eight iOS 10 betas.
The iOS 10 golden master is available as an over-the-air download to those who installed the first eight betas or the beta configuration profile and it's available for direct download via Apple's Developer Center. The iOS 10 golden master version is iOS 10.0.1.
iOS 10 is a major iOS update with a ton of new features and design tweaks, including a new Lock screen experience with 3D Touch-enabled notifications, a more easily accessible camera, a redesigned Control Center, and a new widgets screen. According to Apple, iOS 10 is the company's biggest iOS update ever released.
The Messages app in iOS 10 has been overhauled with features that include background animations, bubble effects, Digital Touch, handwritten notes, Tapback replies, predictive emoji, and a dedicated App Store, and Photos has gained new facial and object recognition capabilities along with a Memories feature for rediscovering forgotten moments.
iOS 10 will be released to the public on Wednesday, September 13, three days ahead of the official launch date of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. For full details on iOS 10, make sure to check out our iOS 10 roundup.
At today's event held at the Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco, Apple announced the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the Apple Watch Series 2, and shared release dates for iOS 10, watchOS 3, and macOS Sierra.
Both iOS 10 and watchOS 3 will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 13, three days before the September 16 release date of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus will both ship with iOS 10 while the Apple Watch Series 2 will ship with watchOS 3.
macOS Sierra will be released to the public one week later, on Tuesday, September 20, according to Apple's macOS Sierra webpage.
Apple has not yet provided a release date for the tvOS 10 operating system that has also been in beta testing since June. The tvOS 10 website simply says "Coming Soon."
Apple and Beats today announced a new line of wireless Beats by Dre headphones powered by Apple's new W1 chip. The chip allows the new headphones, like Apple's new AirPods, to take advantage of easy, instant pairing to an iPhone.
The new Beats Solo3, Powerbeats3 and BeatsX can be paired to an iPhone by powering them up and holding them near an iPhone. The headphones will pair with your iPhone and simultaneously connect to your Apple Watch and Mac.
The Solo3 and Powerbeats3 are updates to Beats' two signature lines of headphones: the over-the-head casual listening Solo line and the athletically-focused Powerbeats line. The BeatsX, however, are a new line of headphones aimed at being a more mobile everyday pair of headphones.
All three headphones come with Fast Fuel, a fast-charging solution that can deliver more power with 5 minutes of charging. 5 minutes of charging delivers 3 hours of playback for the Solo3, 2 hours of playback for the BeatsX and an hour of playback for the Powerbeats3.
The Solo3 headphones are available for $299 on Apple.com. The Powerbeats3 and BeatsX will be available for $199 and $149, respectively, later this year.
Apple today announced the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus at its "See You on the 7th" media event in San Francisco.
The new iPhones feature a 64-bit four-core A10 Fusion processor, stereo speakers positioned on opposite ends of the device, a flush Force-sensitive home button with a Taptic Engine for haptic feedback, and IP67-standard water and dust resistance – but no headphone jack. Wired Lightning in-ear EarPod headphones and a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter are included in the box. Apple is offering Siri-enabled wireless earbuds called AirPods as a separate accessory, available for $159 in late October.
The iPhone 7 features a faster, more energy efficient 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization, six-element f/1.8 aperture lens, an artificial light compensating flicker sensor, Quad-LED True Tone flash, and enhanced tone mapping. The device also has a 7-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD camera with wide color capture and auto-image stabilization.
The iPhone 7 Plus differentiates itself from the 4.7-inch handset with a dual-lens 12-megapixel camera featuring all the same features, but is much more advanced, including a wide-angle lens and a separate telephoto lens that combine to create 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom features. The ISP dual-lens camera is also capable of producing live shallow depth of field shots and "bokeh" effects in preview mode.
Depth of field shot taken with the iPhone 7 Plus dual-lens camera
The smartphones are crafted from anodized aluminum and have a stainless steel Apple logo, and come in a new glossy jet black color, as well as simple "black" (with a black Apple logo), alongside silver, gold and rose gold. The antenna bands are aligned along the edges of the handsets, instead of across the rear like on the previous models, and the volume buttons are positioned directly on the side of the handset (as opposed to inside a recess as per the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus).
Both devices also benefit from a 25% brighter "cinema standard" Retina HD display with wider color gamut, improved color management, and 3D Touch. Audio has also been improved with the new speakers, which include increased volume and better dynamic range.
The A10 Fusion four-core processor powering the two devices delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance, up to 50% faster graphics performance, and better efficiency compared to the A9 chip inside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Both the new smartphones come with improved battery life, faster wireless, and the improved water resistance means the iPhones stand up to splashing and even short periods of immersion in water.
Pre-orders begin Friday September 9 and the devices are available to buy in more than 25 countries from September 16. iPhone 7 starts at $649 and comes in 32GB/128GB/256GB capacities. The iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769, also in 32GB/128GB/256GB capacities. All come pre-installed with iOS 10, which is also available for download on September 13.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are also available through the iPhone Upgrade Program, starting at $32/month and $37/month in the United States respectively. Apple said the iPhone Upgrade Program will be expanding to the United Kingdom and China.
Apple and Nike today announced the Apple Watch Nike+, an aluminum Apple Watch Series 2 that comes with a perforated rubber Nike band and watch face. The two companies say the new watch is the "perfect running partner" and comes with deep Nike integration.
The Apple Watch Nike+ comes with all of the improvements that the Apple Watch Series 2 does, which includes built-in GPS, a brighter display, water resistance and a new dual-core processor. However, it also has new abilities that make it easier for frequent runners to run, including watch faces that instantly launch new runs and exclusive Siri commands. Siri can be used by Apple Watch Nike+ users to both start and stop runs.
Nike's Run Club app is integrated into the Apple Watch Nike+, offering daily pieces of motivation via smart run reminders, challenges from friends, and alerts when there's good running weather outside. The running display also offers quick, glanceable data on pace, distance and heart rate. There are also a couple of social features, allowing users to "fist bump" fellow runners from the Watch and shared-run summaries.
The Nike Sport Bands are exclusive to the Apple Watch Nike+ and are not sold separately. They come in four color options: Black / Volt, Black / Cool Gray, Flat Silver / White, and Flat Silver / Volt.
The Apple Watch Nike+ will be available in 38 mm for $369 and 42 mm for $399 from Apple.com, Nike.com, Apple Stores and select Nike retail stores. It'll be available to pre-order on September 9 in 32 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, France, Germany, China, Mexico and more. The Apple Watch Nike+ will release in late October.
Apple today announced the second generation Apple Watch, which it's calling "Series 2," confirming a handful of previously rumored features on the wearable device. Series 2 is swimproof and water resistant up to 50 meters, so users can "wear their watch with confidence in the water." The company also confirmed that Series 2 has built-in GPS so users can get more accurate pace and distance readouts during running workouts.
Apple's announcement was focused on the fitness features of Apple Watch Series 2, particularly attempting to craft intelligent and user-friendly swimming workouts on the wearable device. The new algorithims it has developed are for pool and open water swimming sessions, with Series 2 able to "count laps, track average lap pace and auto-detect stroke type to accurately measure active calorie burn."
“We’re thrilled with the response to Apple Watch and how it’s changed people’s lives. We are committed to fitness and health and think our customers will love the new capabilities of Apple Watch Series 2,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “With a powerful new dual-core processor, water resistance 50 meters and built-in GPS, Apple Watch Series 2 is packed with features to help our customers live a healthy life.”
Thanks to the built-in GPS, Apple Watch Series 2 can record precise distance, pace, and speed readouts during outdoor runs and bike rides, all without needing to take an iPhone along during the workout. The connected iPhone Activity app will allow users to delve into even more detailed information about their workout session after they're finished.
With a dual-core processor and all-new second-generation S2 chip, Apple Watch Series 2 is up to 50 percent faster than the first generation. A new GPU also improves the device's overall graphics performance, allowing for a display that's 2x brighter (ranked at 1,000 nits) than the first Apple Watch, so it's easier to read in bright sunlight.
In addition to aluminum and stainless steel models, the company is introducing a new ceramic Apple Watch Edition in Series 2, which has a pearl-like, smooth white color. Apple briefly touched upon a new set of Hermès bands, as well, including versions of Single Tour, Double Tour, Cuff, and Double Buckle Cuff.
Although specific casing prices and band collections have yet to be divulged, the company did confirm that Apple Watch Series 2 will start at $369, and the ceramic Apple Watch Edition will start at $1249, with pre-orders taking place on September 9 and an official launch on September 16. Apple Watch Hermès starts at $1149, and Apple Watch Nike+ starts at $369, but ships in October.
Beginning Friday, September 16, Apple Watch Series 2 will be available in: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK and the US.
As a side note, the company is also now calling generation one "Series 1," and will have models starting at $269, with a processor upgrade to put it on the level of Series 2. The same order and launch dates of September 9 and September 16 apply for Series 1.
Apple today announced a new pair of wireless "AirPods," which provide up to 5 hours of music playback and high-quality sound through a "seamless and automatic connection" between devices. The AirPods include a rechargeable battery case that delivers up to 24 hours of battery life.
The AirPods connect instantly with a single tap and switch between iCloud-connected Apple devices on the fly. Playback is controlled by dual-optical sensors that "know when you are listening" and will pause music automatically when taken out. A double tap on the buds invokes Siri, allowing the user to select and control music, change the volume, check battery life or perform any other Siri task. This functionality is enabled by an ultra-low power Apple W1 chip inside, which also delivers higher quality audio, claims Apple.
"AirPods are the first headphones to deliver a breakthrough wireless audio experience, and with the new Apple W1 chip they deliver innovative features including high quality sound, great battery life and automatic setup," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "AirPods are simple and magical to use, with no switches or buttons, automatically connecting to all your Apple devices simply and seamlessly, and letting you access Siri with just a double tap. We can’t wait for users to try them with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2."
Each AirPod also has an additional accelerometer that detects when the user is speaking, while a pair of beam-forming microphones focus on the sound of the user's voice and filters out external noise.
The AirPods come with a Lightning cable for charging the case, and will be available to buy from late October in stores and online at a price of $159. The earphones require Apple devices running iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra.
The company also showcased a pair of new, lightning-connected EarPods at the media event in San Francisco. These wired headphones will be included in the box for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, along with a Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone adapter.
Today at its September 2016 Special Event, Apple announced a new ConnectED program called Everyone Can Code. The program is designed to help students around the country learn how to program.
Everyone Can Code will begin by teaching kids how to code in Swift, Apple's own programming language. It'll use the Swift Playgrounds iOS app and Apple CEO Tim Cook said that it will benefit the more than 100 schools that have signed up to teach Swift since June.
We've always believed that education is a great equalizer, a powerful force for change, for good, and we've always believed that our products could have a positive impact on teachers and students. But we're keenly aware that not every school can have this impact. That's why we're so deeply committed to ConnectED, a national initiative combining government and leading technology companies to bring that technology to underserved schools.
I personally visited several of these ConnectED schools and the program is having amazing results. Kids are engaged like never before and they're learning like never before, and this is how it should be.
Apple announced that 114 ConnectED schools will be up and running by this fall. Apple has also delivered a Mac and an iPad to 4,500 teachers, put an Apple TV in every ConnectED classroom and has given 50,000 iPads for students.
"The ConnectED grant has meant a complete transformation," said Trina Siegfried of Crane Elementary School. "The students are having fun. They're more engaged. Most importantly, we're seeing a real love of learning."
Apple also announced a new real-time collaboration feature in iWork that will enable not only students and teachers, but businesses to work together much more effectively.
For example, Apple demonstrated how multiple users could edit the same Keynote presentation live at the same time without confusion, in private or in public, using apps on Mac, iPad and iPhone.
Today at its September 7 media event, Apple announced a new Mario game is coming to iOS, called "Super Mario Run." In the game, Mario runs to the right, and users can tap to make Mario jump.
Later levels will introduce blocks that change Mario's direction as well as other more intense obstacles that require precision timing, but the goal remains simple - collect as many coins as you can and get to the flagpole at the end of the level before time runs out. All the while, users can play the game one-handed. There are a few other modes too, including a battle mode called "Toad Rally," which lets users compete against the ghosts of friends and strangers around the world and beat their high score.
Victory in battle mode depends on the number of coins you collect and the number of toads you impress, since the toad characters appear on screen every time you perform a daring move. There's no flagpole in battle mode, so the player keeps running until time runs out. The ghost appears in the level to show the player what the person they're competing against was doing when they ran the same level to achieve their score.
If players are victorious, toads they've collected become residents of their very own mushroom kingdom, enabling players to customize their kingdom using the coins and toads they collected in the game. The "father" of Mario, Shigeru Minamoto, spoke at the Apple event about his latest creation:
We want as many people with smartphones around the world to enjoy playing as Mario, and we're doing it first on iOS. And we're doing it in a brand new game called Super Mario Run. The magic of Mario is that anyone can pick up a game and instantly start playing. This time, we've made it even simpler to begin.
As the title suggests, Mario runs automatically to the right, and as he does he'll hurdle small gaps and certain enemies. It's very simple and the movement feels great. With just a tap of the finger anywhere on the touchscreen you can make Mario jump, and the longer you tap, the higher he jumps. This is key to getting high scores.
Being able to play one-handed means you can do so while holding onto a handle on the subway, while eating a hamburger, or while eating an Apple!
No further details about the price were revealed, but Shigeru Minamoto confirmed that the game would not be free-to-play, and come with a one-time, set price point. The game is expected to launch sometime this holiday season, and Nintendo is also launching a Super Mario sticker pack for iOS 10.
Update: It was discovered earlier today that Apple is trying out a new "Notify" system with Super Mario Run, where the App Store will let players know when the game becomes available to download.
Apple's "See you on the 7th" event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time today, and we're expecting to see several product announcements including the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, an updated Apple Watch, and perhaps some Beats and "AirPods" headphone news.
We'll also be hearing final details on the official release date for iOS 10, and probably macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10. Today's event is being held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website and via Apple TV.
In addition to Apple's video stream, we will be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
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Apple's online stores around the world are currently down in advance of the event.
The full event transcript in reverse chronological order is available after the jump.
"iSight Duo" would be a logical name for the iPhone 7 Plus' widely rumored dual-lens camera system, but what "A10 Fusion" could represent is less clear. Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to have faster A10 chips, while Apple's only use of "Fusion" is for the Fusion Drive, which combines flash (SSD) and hard drive (HDD) storage into a single volume on select iMac and Mac mini models.
Both trademark applications were filed on June 8, 2016, while Simmons also uncovered recent trademark filings for "Depth" and "Writeboard," which could be features or functions related to the Apple Pencil. Assuming the "iSight Duo" dual-camera system has one telephoto lens, as rumored, "Depth" could alternatively pertain to depth of field photos on iPhone 7 Plus.
It is likely that Apple's announcements at its iPhone event in San Francisco today will shed light on at least some of the trademark filings uncovered over the past two days. The keynote begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and MacRumors will be providing live coverage of the proceedings.
Ahead of the reveal of the iPhone 7, which is largely expected to usher in a new era of user interest in wireless headphones thanks to the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack, Sony recently unveiled three new wireless headphone options for its customers (via SlashGear). Each of the three Bluetooth headphones couple together high-quality sound with Sony's "Extra Bass" technology, along with high-rated resistance to the elements for sports-related activities on two of the models.
The first, most expensive set is the XB80BS Sports In-ear Headphones ($149.99), which come with a splash-proof IPX5 design that allows users to wear them in heavy rain and even clean them in water. In addition to being the most waterproofed of Sony's new headphones, the XB80BS also packs in the highest quality sound with "high fidelity wireless streaming" thanks to Bluetooth and LDAC technology for up to seven hours of music listening.
From left to right: the $150, $100, and $80 models of Sony's new Bluetooth headphones
The mid-range, XB70BT Bluetooth In-ear Headphones ($99.99) are a slight step down in comparison, with an overall lack of waterproofing and high-quality music streaming, that's compensated for with a focus on smartphone interactivity. Thanks to in-line remote controls with phone call and music playback functionality (lacking on the other headphones), along with 9 hours of battery life, Sony's XB70BT headphones are aimed more at daily casual users who don't need an emphasis on sports-related resistance.
Lastly, the company's cheapest new headphones, the XB50BS Sports Bluetooth In-ear Headphones ($79.99), brings all of the same Extra Bass technology and wireless connectivity with a splash-proof IPX4 rating. Sony says this will let users keep a workout going "even in light rain," so water submersion capabilities of the XB80BS aren't the focus of the cheaper model. The battery on the XB50BS lasts 8.5 hours.
The $150 and $80 models come in three colors, including black, red, and blue, while the $100 version is only available in black. All three can be purchased through Sony's website and Amazon, although each listing on Amazon marks the headphones as temporarily out of stock. The company also announcedthreenew wired headphones along with the trio of Bluetooth options.
Apple's "See you on the 7th" media event will be kicking off at 10:00 AM Pacific today, and as is tradition some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event's conclusion.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts in the thread about Apple's announcements.
Video Posted: A direct link to the video file is now available, with no spoilers.
Wayfair today became one of the first major retailers to announce forthcoming support for Apple Pay on the web for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. On iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, customers will be able to purchase items from the e-commerce website's catalog of more than 7 million furniture and home décor products by tapping or clicking the Apple Pay button and authenticating with Touch ID.
MacRumors mockup of Apple Pay checkout option on Wayfair's mobile website
Apple Pay support in Safari will eliminate the need to directly enter and store credit card and payment information in the browser when making online purchases. It will also eliminate the need for customers to download a store's app to make a payment with Apple Pay. At WWDC 2016 in June, Apple said that many merchants have already agreed to support the mobile payments service on the web at launch.
Apple Pay is currently available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China, Switzerland, Hong Kong, France, and Singapore, and Apple lists web support as "coming this fall" in all of those regions except the U.K. on its website. Earlier this year, Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey said Apple is "working rapidly" to expand the service to additional countries in Asia and Europe.
Photo-sharing service Instagram has begun removing its GPS-aggregating "Photo Maps" feature from user profiles. Some of Instagram's users may have already noticed that Photo Maps is gone when visiting another profile, with Instagram confirming to Mashable that it began phasing out the feature last week.
Photo Maps will remain on your own profile tab "for now," but the company is expected to begin removing it from there as well in the near future. The simple reason behind its removal is how little the feature was used by the social network's 500 million monthly active users, especially in comparison to popular features in the app, like the Explore tab.
“Photo Map was not widely used, so we've decided to remove the feature and focus on other priorities," the company said in a statement.
The company confirmed that geotagged locations in individual Instagram posts will remain, so "you'll still be able to click on a location tag in an individual post and see other photos from that location as well as a small map." The move is believed to be a part of the social network's move towards capturing ground from rival Snapchat, while leaving behind parts of its service that don't generate much in the way of user activity.
Apple's online storefront has been taken offline this morning, less than six hours prior to the company's upcoming "See You on the 7th" media event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, where Tim Cook and other senior executives are expected to announce the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, second-generation Apple Watch, new Beats products, and possibly other updates.
Apple will provide a live stream (spoiler free) of the keynote on the Apple TV and on iOS and Mac devices through its website, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors will also have full coverage of the event, with a live blog on our front page at MacRumors.com and updates in 140 characters or less through our @MacRumorsLive account on Twitter. Last week, we outlined what to expect at the event.
We'll also have specific coverage of today's announcements in separate news stories, and our community forums are a great place for readers to discuss the announcements before, during, and after the event. Be sure to keep tabs on the iPhone and Apple Watch sections in particular for the latest discussions.
NDTV: Has that voice never come to you? For example when you launched the pencil and you know what Steve said,' if you see a stylus they blew it', when you launched that pencil?
Tim Cook: Well we launched a pencil, not a stylus, first of all, and there’s a big difference, and the things that people are doing with this pencil, I think that Steve would have loved. He loved to help people create. And if you've ever seen what can be created with that pencil on an iPad or an iPhone, it's really unbelievable. You should really show some of these to your audience.
Gruber wondered whether Cook had simply misspoken, or if he had perhaps let slip that Apple was internally using the Pencil with its upcoming iPhone.
Apple's Pencil currently only works with the iPad Pro because of the display technology required to achieve the tool's high responsiveness: the iPad Pro's screen features a subsystem which scans the Pencil's signal 240 times per second, enabling it to detect position, force, and tilt at the individual pixel level.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously claimed Apple will release new iPad Pro models next year, but with the fate of the iPad mini uncertain, it's conceivable that Apple may discontinue the tablet and pitch the iPhone 7 as its smallest creative device by adding support for the Apple Pencil. Alternatively, it could restrict support for the tool to the iPhone 7 Plus, which would serve to further differentiate it from the new 4.7-inch handset and give pre-recall users of the Galaxy Note 7 – which has a stylus – another reason to consider switching devices.
Based on display improvements introduced in the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, DisplayMate's Ray Soneira has speculated the iPhone 7 display could include similar features such as True Tone, as Apple often expands display advancements across its entire product lineup. Whether or not this includes the subsystem required to support the Apple Pencil remains unclear.
With just hours to go before Apple's iPhone 7 event, we'll know for sure later today. Apple will provide a live stream of the keynote on the Apple TV and on iOS and Mac devices through its website, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors will also have full coverage of the event, with a live blog on our front page at MacRumors.com and updates in 140 characters or less through our @MacRumorsLive account on Twitter.
